The Esperanza Effect Newsletter: September 2018

Thanks to YOU, the Esperanza Girls Chess Team is an example of “Hope in Education”

The Esperanza Academy girls chess team—believe it or not—was founded just four years ago. Now, thanks to your belief in them, the Esperanza “Chess Queens” were able to reach a national competition in Chicago, IL for a once in a lifetime experience. In 2019, we hope to send the Chess Queens to Nationals again. This time around, Esperanza hopes to raise $20,000 so they may compete once again at the highest level: We’re counting on YOU to make it happen! Donate now. The Chess Queens are led by Ms. Gabrielle Moshier, Chess Coach and English Teacher at Esperanza Academy. Ms. Moshier encourages the girls chess players, saying, “Chess is very popular here,” and acknowledges chess as a way of life for everyone on the Esperanza chess team. As you walk through Esperanza Academy, the chess players act as the ‘rock stars’ of the school and comprise a combined 40 middle school and high school students. They’ll look to compete in almost 30 competition related events this school year. The best part of coaching the chess team for Ms. Moshier is seeing each student grow. Chess provides an opportunity for the students to practice, as Ms. Moshier states, “critical thinking, your patience and wait time. And most importantly, your ability to deal with losing.”While some chess team members might come from disadvantaged backgrounds, Ms. Moshier believes her students, “just need a place to put their abilities. And I think chess does that.” In short, chess empowers the Esperanza Academy students to be the young women they know they can be. For instance, the girls’ chess team captain, Diana, grew exponentially this past year from a shy timid chess player, to a confident and assertive young woman. Whether she is winning or losing her chess matches, Diana is a proud chess queen teammate. In the future, we’d love to not only have your support by making a gift to send them to nationals, but to come to Esperanza to see our chess queens in action! “I love how cool our chess players are,” Ms. Moshier says. The girls chess team looks to play this upcoming Saturday, September 29 at the All-Girls tournament in the Community Center at Kensington. The team hopes to improve and attend state and national championships again, while also learning emotionally, academically, and socially through chess. We hope you’ll join us and cheer on our girls to competition!

Esperanza College of Eastern University is back to school! You might notice more students, professors, and classes starting around Esperanza College, as our Fall semester began this past Monday, August 27. We welcomed back students pursuing degrees in early childhood education, medical assisting and the health sciences.

On other news, Prospanica recently awarded Esperanza College its Brillante Award for Educational Excellence. Prospanica’s prestigious award recognized the College’s outstanding contributions made to the Hispanic community and for promoting the overall social well-being of its students. Prior awardees include Georgia State University, Central Florida University and Bentley University.

AMLA begins new school year with the Feria del Barrio celebration

Esperanza’s Artistas y Músicos Latinoamericanos (AMLA) school began its new school year, and with cause to celebrate! AMLA teaches and empowers young musicians with an emphasis on at-risk youth. Thanks to your support, our youth experience the hope of musical education in our community. As AMLA begins training students in the arts this semester, your dollars will go a long way to continue to provide a rich environment for the arts in Latino Philadelphia. This past semester, AMLA students performed and celebrated at the 10th Annual Dia del Nino at the Franklin Institute. AMLA professors, Suzzette Ortiz and Jose Luis “Tino” Serrano were selected as honorees at the Feria del Barrio in North Philadelphia, hosted by Taller Puertorrequeño, last Sunday, September 23rd. Thank you for supporting our work at AMLA. We hope you’ll join us at our future events, and consider making a gift to impact our Hispanic youth through music education this fall semester. Donate to AMLA today!

Esperanza Partner Spotlight: Thank you Seybert Foundation!

Esperanza makes a difference in the lives of so many because of the incredible support of our amazing partners. The Seybert Foundation invested in our Artistas y Músicos Latinoamericanos (AMLA) school to help underserved youth in the city of Philadelphia. We were recently approved for a two-year grant from the Seybert Foundation, which will help young AMLA students in the development, dissemination and understanding of Latin America music and culture in the Philadelphia region. Thank you again to the Seybert Foundation!

About Esperanza

Esperanza is a faith-based nonprofit organization driven by the biblical mandate to "serve the least of these." We strengthen Hispanic communities through education, economic development, and advocacy.